Cable connecting assembly

ABSTRACT

A cable connector assembly in which there is a male member having a body and a frusto-conic section and a female member provided with lengthwise slots dividing an end portion of the female member into a plurality of spring members or teeth which are caused to separate as the teeth engage the male member at a line of junction at the base of the frusto-conic section. A nose of the male member can be provided with a lengthwise extending slot dividing it into spring urged sections each of which can engage the interior of the female member. A ring surrounds the teeth of the female member adjacent an open end thereof to prevent excessive spreading of the teeth. One portion of the cable connector assembly is provided with a latch and the other portion is provided with a latch keeper which cooperates with the latch to hold the portions in latched relation. A signal member is actuated by the latch when in latched position.

United States Patent 191 Piaget, deceased et al.

[ Dec.3, 1974 l l CABLE CONNECTING ASSEMBLY [76] Inventors: Robert EdgarPiaget, deceased, 2136 Madison Rd, late of Cincinnati, Ohio 45 208;Dorothy R. Piaget, executrix, 4432 Homer Ave., Cincinnati. Ohio 45227;Robert Edward Piaget, 2136 Madison Rd.,

Cincinnati. Ohio 45208 [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 393,270

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of'Ser. No. 195,975, Nov.5, 1971,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Switzerland 339/255 R PrimaryExaminer-Joseph I-I. McGlynn Attorney, Agent, or FirmJames W. Pearce;Roy F. Schaeperklaus [5 7 ABSTRACT A cable connector assembly in whichthere is a male member having a body and a frusto-conic section and afemale member provided with lengthwise slots dividing an end portion ofthe female member into a plurality of spring members or teeth which arecaused to separate as the teeth engage the male member at a line ofjunction at the base of the frusto-conic section. A nose of the malemember can be providedwith a lengthwise extending slot dividing it intospring urged sections each of which can engage the interior of thefemale member. A ring surrounds the teeth of the female member adjacentan open end thereof to prevent excessive spreading of the teeth. Oneportion of the cable connector assembly is provided with a latch and theother portion is provided with a latch keeper which cooperates with thelatch to hold the portions in latched relation. A signal member isactuated by the latch when in latched position.

12 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTEL, 553 3 I974 SHEET 10F 4 PATENTELDEC 3!!!" SNEH 2 0f 4 PATENTEL DEC SHEET 3 OF 4 CABLE CONNECTINGASSEMBLY This is a Continuation of our co-pending application Ser. No.195,975 filed Nov. 5, 1971, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to cable connectors.

An object of this invention is to provide a cable connector which formsa firm but releasable connection between electrical contact members.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a cable connectorassembly in which there is a latch which holds connector members inassembled relation and an indicator operated by the latch which showswhen the members are properly latched together.

Briefly, this invention provides a cable connector assembly in whichthere is a male member having a body and a frusto-conic section. An endportion of a female member is provided with lengthwise slots dividingthe end portion of the female member into a plurality of spring membersor teeth which are caused to deflect outwardly as the teeth engage themale member at a line of junction between the frusto-conic section andthe body. Each tooth has points of contact with the male member at thatline so that there is a plurality of points of contact between the maleand female members. In addition, the male member can be provided with alengthwise extending slot dividing an end portion of the male memberinto a plurality of spring urged sections each of which can engage theinterior of the female member spaced from the line of tooth contact toprovide additional points or areas of contact between the male andfemale members. A ring surrounding the teeth of the female memberadjacent an open end thereof prevents excessive spreading of the teeth.One member of the cable connector assembly can be provided with a latchand the other member can be provided with a latch keeper whichcooperates with the latch to hold the portions in latched relation. Asignal member can be actuated by the latch when in latched position.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertainsfrom the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cable connector assembly constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of this invention, portions of electricalcables being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 withcables removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the portions of the assembly shown inFIG. 1, part thereof being broken away to reveal interior construction,electrical cables being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another of the portions of the assembly shownin FIG. 1, part thereof being broken away to reveal interiorconstruction, electrical cables being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of a male element of the assemblyremoved therefrom, an end cap therefor being shown in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 6 is a view in end elevation of the male element shown in FIG. 5looking in the direction of arrows 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation of a female element of the assemblyremoved therefrom;

FIG. 8 is a view in end elevation of the female element shown in FIG. 7looking in the direction of arrows 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line 99 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a view in section taken on the line 1010 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in lengthwise section of the femalesection of the element of FIG. 7 with the male element being shown indashed lines in position inside the female element;

FIG. 12 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1212in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a view partly in side elevationand partly in section of theend cap of the male element;

FIG. 14 is a view in end elevation of the assembly portion shown in FIG.3;

FIG. 15 is a view in end elevation of a latch keeperof the assembly;

FIG. 16 is a view in side elevation of the latch keeper shown in FIG.15;

FIG. 17 is a view in section taken on the line 1717 in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 18 is a view in side elevation of a mounting plate which is part ofone of the assembly portions.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like referencecharacters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown a cable connecting assembly 20 constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of this invention which includes a firstportion 22 and a second portion 23 which can be separated as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Hollow tubular sections 24 and 26 of the portion 22 (FIG.3) receive cables 27 and 28, respectively, and hollow tubular sections29 and 31 of the portion 23 (FIG. 4) receive cables 32 and 33,respectively. Male connector members 34 and 36 (FIG. 2) are locatedinside the first connector portion 22 and female connector members 37and 38 (FIG. 4) are located inside the second connector portion 23. Themale connector members are similar in structure and only the male member36 will be described in detail. The female connector members are similarand only the female connector member 38 will be described in detail.

The male member 36 (FIG. 5) includes a unitary body provided with asocket 42 extending lengthwise thereof from one end. As shown in FIG. 3,a conductor portion 43 of the cable 28 can be received in the socket 42.Radial lock screws 44 lock the conductor portion 43 in the socket 42. Aradial socket 46 (FIG. 5) in the member 36 can receive a screw fastener47 as shown in FIG. 9 for locking the member 36 in the lengthwise bore49 of the assembly portion 22 which is aligned with the tubular section26. A metal tube 50 molded in the assembly portion 22 surrounding thebore 49 is provided with a radial bore 501 through which the screwfastener 47 extends. An outwardly extending opening 502 in the portion22 permits access to the screw fastener 47. A dielectric plug 503 closesthe opening 502. An inwardly directed annular flange 504 surrounding themouth of the opening 502 holds the plug 503 in position. The oppositeend of the male member 36 (FIG. 5) includes a connector end portionincluding a first substantially cylindrical section 51, a substantiallyfrusto-conic intermediate portion 52 and an outer end portion 53. Theconnector end portion is divided into two sections or teeth 531 and 532by a lengthwise diametrically extending slot 54 which terminatesin adiametral bore 56. The wall of the outer end portion 53 is originallymachined to a cylindrical shape and the teeth are then set or deformedoutwardly so that the walls of the outer end portion diverge as shown inan exaggerated fashion in FIG. 5.

The portion 52 is machined to a frusto-conic shape before the settingand the first substantially cylindrical portion 51 is machined to acylindrical shape before the setting. The slot 54 is substantially ofuniform width throughout its length before the setting. At the tip ofthe connector end portion, an annular neck 58 is formed with a flange 59extending radially outboard of the neck. The flange 59 can be receivedin an annular slot 61 (FIG. 13) in an end cap member 62, which can be ofnon-conductive material and covers the tip of the male member to preventinadvertent touching of the tip of the male member. The diameter of theend cap can be slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical facesof the portion 51 so as not to interfere therewith.

The female member 38 (FIG. 7) includes a unitary body provided with asocket 63 extending lengthwise thereof from one end. As shown in FIG. 4,a conductor portion 64 of the cable 33 can be received in the socket 63.Radial lock screws 65 lock the conductor portion 64 in the socket 63. Aradial socket 66 (FIG. 7) in the member 38 can receive a screw fastener67 as shown in FIG. 9 for locking the member 38 in a lengthwise bore 69of the assembly portion 23 which is aligned with the tubular section 31.A metal tube 70 molded in the assembly portion 23 surrounding the bore69 is provided with a radial bore 701 through which the screw fastener67 extends. An outwardly extending opening 702 in the portion 23 permitsaccess to the fastener 67. A dielectric plug 703 closes the opening 702.An inwardly directed annular flange 704 surrounding the mouth of theopening 702 holds the plug 703 in position. The opposite end of thefemale member 38 includes a tubular connector end portion provided withan axial bore or socket 71 (FIG. 7) and with lengthwise slots 72 whichdivide the connector end portion into a plurality of arcuate axiallysplit teeth 721. Each of the lengthwise slots 72 terminates at a radialbore 73. A circumferential groove 74 in the outer wall of the femalemember adjacent the open end of the socket 71 receives a ring 76, whichcan be of stainless steel or the like and which prevents excessivespreading of the teeth.

When the connector end portions of the male member 36 and the femalemember 38 are brought into engagement, the teeth 531 and 532 of the malemember 36, as shown in FIG. 11, enter into the socket 71 and engage thewall of the socket 71 inboard of the lengthwise slots 72, and springpressure urges the teeth 531 and 532 of the male member 36 outwardlyinto firm engagement with the wall of the socket 71. At the same time,the teeth 721 of the female member 38 expand outwardly upon engaging themale member at a line of contact 78 between the substantiallyfrusto-conic portion 52 and the substantially cylindrical portion 51.The teeth 721 of the female member are held in firm engagement with themale member spring fashion by the resilience thereof. As shown in FIG.12, each of the teeth 721 has two points or areas of contact with themale member insuring firm contact therewith and creating a multiplenumber of high pressure contact points through which to pass current.

The male and female members are locked in engagement by a latchmechanism shown most clearly in FIG. 10. The assembly portion 23includes a socket 81 which is parallel to the tubular sections 29 and 31and in which a metal tube 82 is molded. A latch bar 83 is mounted in thesocket 81 and extends into the metal tube 82. A screw fastener 84, whichextends through a radial opening 86 in the metal tube 82, extends into adiametral bore 87 in the latch bar 83 to lock the latch bar in positionin the socket 81 with a substantially conic-shaped head portion 88thereof extending outwardly of the assembly portion 23. A transverselatch notch or slot 89 is provided in the latch bar adjacent the headportion 88. A radial opening 91 in the assembly portion 23 permitsaccess to the head of the screw fastener 84. A dielectric plug 92 closesthe opening 91. An inwardly directed annular flange 93 surrounding themouth of the opening 91 holds the plug 92 in position therein.

The assembly portion 22 includes a lengthwise bore 96 in which a metalguide tube 97 is mounted. The head portion 88 of the latch bar 83extends into the guide tube 97. An upright opening 98 (FIGS. 10 and 17)of substantially square cross section intersects the lengthwise bore 96and receives a latch keeper 99. The latch keeper 99 is tubular and is ofsubstantially rectangular box-shape as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. A latchkeeper bar 101 is set into a lower wall 102 and into side walls 1021 and1022 of the latch keeper 99 with a cam face 103 thereof exposed insidethe hollow of the latch keeper as shown in FIG. 15. A slot 104 (FIG. 10)is formed in the guide tube 97 through which the bar 101 can extend tobe received in the slot 89 of the latch bar 83 to hold the assemblyportions in assembled relation. The latch keeper bar 101 limitslengthwise movement of the guide tube 97. A compression spring 106 (FIG.10) seated in a socket 107 in the assembly portion 22 in alignment withthe upright opening 98 urges the latch keeper 99 to latched position. Aresilient dielectric diaphragm 108 is mounted in the opening 98overlying the latch keeper 99, and inward pressure on the diaphragm 108causes downward movement of the latch keeper 99 as shown in FIG. 10 topermit release of the latch keeper bar 101 from the notch 89. An annularedge flange 109 of the diaphragm 108 is received in a slot 111underlying an annular inwardly directed flange 112 of the assemblyportion 22 to hold the diaphragm 108 in position. A signal bar 113 ismounted for sliding movement in the bore 96 in alignment with the guidetube 97 in position for engagement by the head 88 of the latch bar 83. Acompression spring 114 surrounds an end portion 116 of the signal bar113 bearing on a collar 117 of the signal bar 113 and on a shoulder 118surrounding an end of the bore 96. The spring 114 urges the signal bar113 to a position shown in dot-dash lines in which it is completelyhoused inside the assembly portion 22 and in which an outer end 1181 ofthe signal bar 113 is flush with an end 1182 of a central housingportion 1183. The collar 117 engages an end of the guide tube 97 tolimit movement inwardly of the signal bar 113. A right-hand end of theguide tube 97 engages an annular shoulder 119 of the assembly portion 22surrounding the bore 96. When the assembly portions are assembled, thesignal bar 113 is held by the head portion 88 of the latch bar 83 in theposition shown in full lines in FIG. 10 at which an end portion thereofis exposed to indicate that the assembly portions are latched together.

The assembly portions or housings 22 and 23 can be formed of rubber orother rubber-like dielectric material of the type usually used in cableconnectors. An annular lip 121 of the portion 23 surrounds an annularlip 122 of the portion 22 when the portions are assembled.

, An annular peripheral rib 123 on the lip 122 engages the lip 121 toform a seal against entry of fluids. The male member 36 and the femalemember 38 can be formed of brass or beryllium-copper alloys or the likewhich are resilient in nature to provide spring action. In the drawings,angular dimensions of the conductor portions which interact have beenexaggerated for clearness. In a preferred embodiment of this .inventionin which the diameter of the male member section 51 (FIG. 5) isthree-quarters of an inch, the difference be tween the diameters of thesections 51 and 53 can be approximately 0.005 inch and the differencebetween the outer diameter of the section 51 and the inner diameter ofthe socket 71 of the female member 38 can be approximately 0.004 inch.In such a preferred embodiment in which the length of the nose orconnector end portion between an outer end 1211 (FIG. 5) and a shoulder1221 is 1 9/16 inches, the teeth 531 and 532 are set or deformedoutwardly sufficiently that the width of the slot 54 adjacent the outerend 1211 is 0,005 inches greater than the width of the slot 54 adjacentthe bore 56. A mounting flange 126 is molded on the portion 22. Amounting plate 127 is molded inside the flange 126. Openings 128 (FIG.18) in the plate 127 can receive appropriate fasteners (not shown).

The connector assembly illustrated in the drawings and described aboveis subject to structural modification without departing from the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by letters patent is:

1. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended connector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein for receiving the connector head of the male member, there beinglengthwise slots in the connector end portion of the female memberextending from the open end and dividing the end portion of the femalemember into a plurality of spring teeth, the normal diameter of thesocket of the female member being less than the diameter of the contactline and substantially equal to the diameter of the outer portion of theconnector head so that the teeth of the female member are engageablewith the head of the male member at the contact line to resilientlyengage the head of the male member while the outer portion of the headof the male member aligningly cooperates with a portion of said femalemember spaced from said contact line.

2. A cable connecting assembly as in claim 1 wherein the outer portionof the head of the male member is provided with a lengthwise slotdividing the outer portion into spring teeth and walls of the teeth ofthe outer portion are substantially cylindrical and said teeth divergesufficiently so that ends of the male outer portion can resilientlyengage the interior of the socket of the female member when the teeth ofthe female member engage the head of the male member at the contactline.

3. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended corinector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein, there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion ofthe female member extending from the open end and dividing the endportion of the female member into a plurality of spring teeth, thenormal diameter of the socket of the female member being less than thediameter of the contact line so that the teeth of the female member areengageable with the head of the male member at the contact line toresil-' iently engage the head of the male member, the outer portion ofthe head of the male member is provided with a lengthwise slot dividingthe outer portion into spring teeth and walls of the teeth of the outerportion are substantially cylindrical and diverge sufficiently so thatends of the male outer portion can resiliently engage the interior ofthe socket of the female member when the teeth of the female memberengage the head of the male member at the contact line, and a dielectriccap is mounted on the outer portion of the male member spanning theteeth thereof and substantially covering the outer ends of the teeth ofthe outer portion inboard of the cylindrical walls of the teeth of theouter portion.

4. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including body and an annular, open endedconnector end portion having a substantially cylindrical socket therein,there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion of the femalemember extending from the open end and dividing the end portion of thefemale member into a plurality of spring teeth, the normal diameter ofthe socket of the female member being less than the diameter of thecontact line so that the teeth of the female member are engageable withthe head of the male member at the contact line to resiliently engagethe head of the male member, a circumferential slot in the outer wallsof the teeth of the female member adjacent the open end of said member,a continuous ring mounted in the slot and movable therein relative tothe teeth, the ring having an inner circumference which is greater thanthe circumference of the bottom of the slot when the teeth of the femalemember are in normal full engagement with a male connector member butless than the circumference of the bottom of the slot when any tooth isforced outward to closely approach the elastic limit of the tooth andless than the circumference necessary to removal of the ring from thegroove when the teeth are in their normal undistorted condition out ofcontact with the male member, the ring cooperating with the teeth tolink them in mutual supporting relation in which they restrain outwardmovement of each of the teeth of the female member to prevent outwardmovement thereof beyond the elastic limit thereof.

5. In a cable connector assembly, the combination of a first housingmember and a second housing member, a connector element in each of thehousing members, the connector elements being engageable to provideelectrical connection therebetween, the housing member and the connectorelements being relatively movable in reciprocation with a latchmechanism which inv ciudes a latch bar mounted in the first housingmember and extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation, therebeing a transverse latch notch in the latch bar, there being anelongated lengthwise extending bore in the second housing member forreceiving the latch bar and a transverse opening in the second housingmember intersecting the lengthwise bore, a hollow latch keeperreciprocably mounted in the transverse opening, said latch keepersurrounding the lengthwise bore and including side wall membersextending on opposite sides of the lengthwise bore, an inner cross pieceunderlying the lengthwise bore and an outer cross piece overlying thelengthwise bore, a latch bar mounted on the inner cross piece andengageable with the latch notch of the latch bar to hold the housings inlatched position, and spring means urging the latch keeper in latchingdirection, the outer cross piece being inwardly urgable to release thelatch deeper from latch bar,

6. A cable connector assembly as in claim wherein there is a latchreleasing bar mounted in the lengthwise bore for axial movement thereinand spring means urging the latch releasing bar in a latch releasingdirection, the latch bar engaging the latch releasing bar when inlatched position.

7. A cable connector assembly as in claim 6 wherein the latch releasingbar includes a signal portion which extends outwardly of the secondhousing member when the latch releasing bar is engaged by the latch barin latched position.

8. A cable connector assembly as in claim 5 wherein there is a resilientdielectric diaphragm overlying the latch keeper and the diaphragm isdeformable to cause the latch keeper to move in latch releasingdirection.

9. In a cable connecting assembly. the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended connector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein, there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion ofthe female member extending from the open end and dividing the endportion of the female member into a plurality of spring teeth, thenormal diameter of the socket of the female member being less than thediameter of the contact line so that the teeth of the female member areengageable with the head of the male member at the contact line toresiliently engage the head of the male member, the outer end portion ofthe outer portion of the male connector head having a reducedcross-section, a dielectric cap mounted on and coveringly receiving theouter end portion of the outer portion of the male member, the exposedsurface of the cap being a substantial longitudinal extension of thelongitudinal surface of the outer portion of the male member to atransverse end face of the cap.

10. A cable connecting assembly as in claim 9 characterized by the factthat the outer end portion of the outer portion of the male connectorhead has a groove in its laterally facing surface and that thedielectric cap is of cup form and a flange extends inwardly from the rimthereof, said flange being received in said groove to mechanicallycouple and secure the cap to the male member.

11. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended con nector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein, there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion ofthe female member extending from the open end and dividing the endportion of the female member into a plurality of spring teeth, thenormal diameter of the socket of the female member being less than thediameter of the contact line so that the teeth of the female member areresiliently engageabie with the head of the male member at the contactline, a hoop-ring annularly of and supported by the spring teethadjacent the free ends of the teeth, the spring teeth being severallydeflectable further than they are deflected by normal engagement thereofwith the head of the male member at the contact line such that beforeany spring tooth is deflected beyond its elastic iimit the hoop-ringcooperates with the spring teeth to resist forces tending to effectfurther outward deflection of at least one of said teeth, and the outerportion of the head of the male member aligningly cooperates with aportion of said female member spaced from said contact line.

12. A cable connecting assembly as in claim It wherein the outer portionof the head of the male member is provided with a lengthwise slotdividing the outer portion into spring teeth and walls of the teeth ofthe outer portion are substantially cylindrical and said teeth divergesufficiently so that ends of the male outer portion can resilientlyengage the interior of the socket of the female member when the teeth ofthe female member engage the head of the male member at the contactline.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTEFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,Dated e m r 3 ;974

Robert Edgar Piaget, deceased; Dorothy R. Piaget, Inventor(s) executrix;and Robert Edward Piaget It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 39, after "including" insert a Column 7, line 25,"deeper" should be keeper Signed and sealed this 11th day of- February1975.

(SEAL) Attesb:

c. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks RUTH c. MASONAttesting Officer ORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376d=69 u.s.GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 was o-sse-au.

1. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a male connectormember including a body and a connector head including an outer portion,a frusto-conic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended connector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein for receiving the connector head of the male member, there beinglengthwise slots in the connector end portion of the female memberextending from the open end and dividing the end portion of the femalemember into a plurality of spring teeth, the normal diameter of thesocket of the female member being less than the diameter of the contactline and substantially equal to the diameter of the outer portion of theconnector head so that the teeth of the female member are engageablewith the head of the male member at the contact line to resilientlyengage the head of the male member while the outer portion of the headof the male member aligningly cooperates with a portion of said femalemember spaced from said contact line.
 2. A cable connecting assembly asin claim 1 wherein the outer portion of the head of the male member isprovided with a lengthwise slot dividing the outer portion into springteeth and walls of the teeth of the outer portion are substantiallycylindrical and said teeth diverge sufficiently so that ends of the maleouter portion can resiliently engage the interior of the socket of thefemale member when the teeth of the female member engage the head of themale member at the contact line.
 3. In a cable connecting assembly, thecombination of a male connector member including a body and a connectorhead including an outer portion, a frusto-conic intermediate section,and an inner section, the inner section and the intermediate sectionmeeting at a circular contact line, with a female connector memberincluding a body and an annular, open ended connector end portion havinga substantially cylindrical socket therein, there being lengthwise slotsin the connector end portion of the female member extending from theopen end and dividing the end portion of the female member into aplurality of spring teeth, the normal diameter of the socket of thefemale member being less than the diameter of the contact line so thatthe teeth of the female member are engageable with the head of the malemember at the contact line to resiliently engage the head of the malemember, the outer portion of the head of the male member is providedwith a lengthwise slot dividing the outer portion into spring teeth andwalls of the teeth of the outer portion are substantially cylindricaland diverge sufficiently so that ends of the male outer portion canresiliently engage the interior of the socket of the female member whenthe teeth of the female member engage the head of the male member at thecontact line, and a dielectric cAp is mounted on the outer portion ofthe male member spanning the teeth thereof and substantially coveringthe outer ends of the teeth of the outer portion inboard of thecylindrical walls of the teeth of the outer portion.
 4. In a cableconnecting assembly, the combination of a male connector memberincluding a body and a connector head including an outer portion, afrusto-conic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including body and an annular, open endedconnector end portion having a substantially cylindrical socket therein,there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion of the femalemember extending from the open end and dividing the end portion of thefemale member into a plurality of spring teeth, the normal diameter ofthe socket of the female member being less than the diameter of thecontact line so that the teeth of the female member are engageable withthe head of the male member at the contact line to resiliently engagethe head of the male member, a circumferential slot in the outer wallsof the teeth of the female member adjacent the open end of said member,a continuous ring mounted in the slot and movable therein relative tothe teeth, the ring having an inner circumference which is greater thanthe circumference of the bottom of the slot when the teeth of the femalemember are in normal full engagement with a male connector member butless than the circumference of the bottom of the slot when any tooth isforced outward to closely approach the elastic limit of the tooth andless than the circumference necessary to removal of the ring from thegroove when the teeth are in their normal undistorted condition out ofcontact with the male member, the ring cooperating with the teeth tolink them in mutual supporting relation in which they restrain outwardmovement of each of the teeth of the female member to prevent outwardmovement thereof beyond the elastic limit thereof.
 5. In a cableconnector assembly, the combination of a first housing member and asecond housing member, a connector element in each of the housingmembers, the connector elements being engageable to provide electricalconnection therebetween, the housing member and the connector elementsbeing relatively movable in reciprocation with a latch mechanism whichincludes a latch bar mounted in the first housing member and extendingparallel to the direction of reciprocation, there being a transverselatch notch in the latch bar, there being an elongated lengthwiseextending bore in the second housing member for receiving the latch barand a transverse opening in the second housing member intersecting thelengthwise bore, a hollow latch keeper reciprocably mounted in thetransverse opening, said latch keeper surrounding the lengthwise boreand including side wall members extending on opposite sides of thelengthwise bore, an inner cross piece underlying the lengthwise bore andan outer cross piece overlying the lengthwise bore, a latch bar mountedon the inner cross piece and engageable with the latch notch of thelatch bar to hold the housings in latched position, and spring meansurging the latch keeper in latching direction, the outer cross piecebeing inwardly urgable to release the latch deeper from latch bar.
 6. Acable connector assembly as in claim 5 wherein there is a latchreleasing bar mounted in the lengthwise bore for axial movement thereinand spring means urging the latch releasing bar in a latch releasingdirection, the latch bar engaging the latch releasing bar when inlatched position.
 7. A cable connector assembly as in claim 6 whereinthe latch releasing bar includes a signal portion which extendsoutwardly of the second housing member when the latch releasing bar isengaged by the latch bar in latched position.
 8. A cable connectorassembly as in claim 5 wherein there is a resilient dielectric diaphragmoverlying the latch kEeper and the diaphragm is deformable to cause thelatch keeper to move in latch releasing direction.
 9. In a cableconnecting assembly, the combination of a male connector memberincluding a body and a connector head including an outer portion, afrusto-conic intermediate section, and an inner section, the innersection and the intermediate section meeting at a circular contact line,with a female connector member including a body and an annular, openended connector end portion having a substantially cylindrical sockettherein, there being lengthwise slots in the connector end portion ofthe female member extending from the open end and dividing the endportion of the female member into a plurality of spring teeth, thenormal diameter of the socket of the female member being less than thediameter of the contact line so that the teeth of the female member areengageable with the head of the male member at the contact line toresiliently engage the head of the male member, the outer end portion ofthe outer portion of the male connector head having a reducedcross-section, a dielectric cap mounted on and coveringly receiving theouter end portion of the outer portion of the male member, the exposedsurface of the cap being a substantial longitudinal extension of thelongitudinal surface of the outer portion of the male member to atransverse end face of the cap.
 10. A cable connecting assembly as inclaim 9 characterized by the fact that the outer end portion of theouter portion of the male connector head has a groove in its laterallyfacing surface and that the dielectric cap is of cup form and a flangeextends inwardly from the rim thereof, said flange being received insaid groove to mechanically couple and secure the cap to the malemember.
 11. In a cable connecting assembly, the combination of a maleconnector member including a body and a connector head including anouter portion, a frustoconic intermediate section, and an inner section,the inner section and the intermediate section meeting at a circularcontact line, with a female connector member including a body and anannular, open ended connector end portion having a substantiallycylindrical socket therein, there being lengthwise slots in theconnector end portion of the female member extending from the open endand dividing the end portion of the female member into a plurality ofspring teeth, the normal diameter of the socket of the female memberbeing less than the diameter of the contact line so that the teeth ofthe female member are resiliently engageable with the head of the malemember at the contact line, a hoop-ring annularly of and supported bythe spring teeth adjacent the free ends of the teeth, the spring teethbeing severally deflectable further than they are deflected by normalengagement thereof with the head of the male member at the contact linesuch that before any spring tooth is deflected beyond its elastic limitthe hoop-ring cooperates with the spring teeth to resist forces tendingto effect further outward deflection of at least one of said teeth, andthe outer portion of the head of the male member aligningly cooperateswith a portion of said female member spaced from said contact line. 12.A cable connecting assembly as in claim 11 wherein the outer portion ofthe head of the male member is provided with a lengthwise slot dividingthe outer portion into spring teeth and walls of the teeth of the outerportion are substantially cylindrical and said teeth divergesufficiently so that ends of the male outer portion can resilientlyengage the interior of the socket of the female member when the teeth ofthe female member engage the head of the male member at the contactline.